1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a container cap having a pivotable dispensing closure portion and, more particularly, to a simplified and lightweight construction therefor.
2. The Prior Art
Dispensing closures of the type which includes a base cap portion for attaching to a container opening, such as a bottle mouth, and a closure member held in the cap for swiveling movement between closed and opened conditions are well-known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 3,111,245 discloses one such swivelable dispensing closure. The closure portion is formed with a spout or nozzle part connected to a relatively large knuckle portion with a dispensing bore running longitudinally therethrough. The knuckle portion fits into a depressed socket formed on the cap base portion and is swivelable therein between a vertical opened condition, whereby the dispensing bore mates with a discharge opening formed in the bottom of the socket, and a generally horizontal closed condition, whereby the knuckle portion blocks the discharge opening. A further swivel spout dispensing closure construction is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,502,248. There, the closure member is similarly formed with a nozzle portion connected to a rounded knuckle portion which fits into a socket recess formed in the base cap portion for swivelable movement between a vertical opened condition and a generally horizontal closed condition. The knuckle portion is generally cylindrical and formed at opposed outer ends with lug-type members rotatably received in bearing openings formed in the sidewalls of the socket cavity.
One drawback with the prior art dispensing closures is that a large amount of material must be used in their construction. For this reason, the prior art dispensing closures tend to be of relatively heavy weight. Furthermore, the closure portions are relatively difficult to move between their opened and closed conditions. The present invention obviates these disadvantages by providing for a dispensing closure arrangement which is of relatively lightweight construction and, hence, more economical to produce and which is relatively easy to open and close.